Archives

This is a special Super Bowl Sunday edition of the Monday Morning Boost featuring a column first published February 04, 2013. The occasion was Super Bowl XLVII when the infamous power outage shifted the momentum of the game.

Les Patterson’s Monday Morning Boost: Shift momentum

What do you do when the power goes out?

If you’re Jim Harbaugh, you shift momentum.

The first half of the Super Bowl had been long and hard for Jim and his San Francisco 49ers. They were being outplayed by the Baltimore Ravens, coached by Jim’s big brother John Harbaugh, who stood on the other side of the field. The 49ers didn’t get a great start to the second half either as the Raven’s Jacoby Jones returns the opening kickoff for a 108 yard record setting run.

The score is now 28 to 6 and the Ravens seem to be in total control. Then early in the third period the Superdome in New Orleans plunges into darkness. For 34 minutes the two teams milled about, stretching and waiting, along with millions of fans, for the power to be restored.

I could almost feel it. The 49ers came back over the next quarter and half, racking up 25 points while holding the Ravens to 6. They nearly won the game, losing by only 3 points, less than a touchdown, for a final score of 34-31. Had they overcome that 22 point deficit, and won, it would have been the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

Jim Harbaugh led his 49ers and they shifted momentum. Whether it was the blackout, or simply their expertise at being a comeback team, doesn’t really matter – they shifted momentum. The coach led, the players responded, they made a difference. Without a doubt, the other coach Harbaugh also shifted momentum. He played the hand dealt and guided his Ravens to a Super Bowl championship.

Shift momentum.

When things aren’t going the way we want them to – it’s time to shift momentum. If we’re in business and market conditions change, rally the troops and shift momentum. If life throws a curve ball out of left field, pull yourself up by the bootstraps and shift momentum.

I know – Easy to say, harder to do. That’s alright. It doesn’t really matter who wins the Super Bowl. It doesn’t really matter who has the best commercial. What really matters is getting back up when we’re knocked down. If the horse throws us, do we get back on and try again? You bet we do! We are the Little Engine that keeps on saying, “I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!” Shift momentum. Climb the mountain. Ride the horse. Win the game.

With 4800+ members across the USA, Canada, Europe, and around the world, great ideas are being traded all the time! This is YOUR place to meet other members of the radio advertising sales community, discuss local trends in sales and marketing, share ideas for increasing ad sales, ask questions, address problems, and brainstorm for solutions. Come join the discussion today!